"Prayer doesn't work because I prayed they'd stay together and they didn't."
How it sounds in your head: I begged God every night. I was so sure He'd answer because the Bible says ask anything. But they still divorced. Either God doesn't care, doesn't hear, or I'm not important enough for Him to answer.
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
-- 1 John 5:14-15Enemy - uses unanswered prayer about free will to create doubt about ALL of God's promises.
She prayed with total faith, believed completely, and watched it not happen. The evidence feels concrete: prayer didn't work when it mattered most.
Begged God three times to remove his thorn, believed for healing. God said no to that specific request but gave him something better - grace that was sufficient and strength in weakness.
I REFUSE the lie that God doesn't hear me because one prayer wasn't answered the way I wanted. IT IS WRITTEN that He HEARS me and I HAVE what I ask according to His will. My parents' free will doesn't cancel God's promises. IT IS WRITTEN in Jeremiah 33:3 to call and He'll answer and show me great things. The Father didn't ignore my prayers - He held me through what He couldn't control without violating free will. But EVERY promise about my healing, provision, future stands. I declare: God HEARS me and His promises to me are YES and AMEN.
The Father heard every desperate prayer you whispered into your pillow, and His heart broke with yours that He couldn't override free will - but He's running toward you NOW with arms full of promises about YOUR life that have nothing to do with others' choices, whispering 'Watch what I'll do WITH you.'